"That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world."-John i. 9.
BLIND, poor, and helpless, Bartimeus sat,
Listening the foot of the wayfaring man,
Still hoping that the next, and still the next,
Would put an alms into his trembling hand.
He thinks he hears the coming breeze faint rustle
Among the sycamores; it is the tread
Of thousand steps; it is the hum of tongues
Innumerable. But when the sightless man
Heard that the Nazarene was passing by,
He cried and said, "Jesus, thou Son of David,
Have mercy on me!" and when rebuked,
He cried the more, "Have mercy upon me!"
"Thy faith hath made thee whole," so Jesus spake-
And straight the blind beheld the face of God.
BLIND Bartimaeus at the gates
Of Jericho in darkness waits:
He hears the crowd ;—he hears a breath
Say, "It is Christ of Nazareth!"
And calls, in tones of agony,
"Jesus, have pity now on me!"
The thronging multitudes increase;
"Blind Bartimaeus, hold thy peace!"
But still above the noisy crowd
The beggar's cry is shrill and loud;
Until they say,-"He calleth thee!
Fear not, arise, He calleth thee."
Then saith the Christ, as silent stands
The crowd, "What wilt thou at my hands?"
And he replies, "Oh give me light!
Rabbi, restore the blind man's sight!"
And Jesus answers, "Go and see!
Thy steadfast faith hath saved thee!"
"Thy steadfast faith hath saved thee!" *
"The Lord turned and looked upon Peter."-Luke xxii. 61.
THE Saviour looked on Peter. Ay, no word,
No gesture of reproach! The heavens serene,
Though heavy with armed justice, did not lean
Their thunders that way; the forsaken Lord
Looked only on the traitor. None record
What that look was, none guess; for those who have seen
Wronged lovers loving through a death-pang keen,
Or pale-cheeked martyrs smiling to a sword,
Have missed Jehovah at the judgment-call.
And Peter, from the height of blasphemy-
"I never knew this man "-did quake and fall,
As knowing straight THAT God, and turned free,
And went out speechless from the face of all,
And filled the silence, weeping bitterly.
THE MEANING OF THE LOOK.
I THINK that look of Christ might seem to say,
"Thou, Peter, art thou then a common stone,
*The Editor has been obliged to translate the original Greek into corresponding English.
Which I at last must break my heart upon,
For all God's charge to His high angels may
Guard my foot better. Did I yesterday
Wash thy feet, my beloved, that they should run
Quick to deny me 'neath the morning sun?
And do thy kisses like the rest betray?
The cock crows coldly.-Go and manifest
A late contrition, but no bootless fear;
For when thy final need is dreariest,
Thou shalt not be denied, as I am here;
My voice to God and angels shall attest,
Because I KNOW this man, let him be clear."
Mrs. E. B. Browning.
"Jacob went on his way, and the angels of God met him: and when Jacob saw them, he said, This is God's host."-Gen. xxxii. 1, 2.
"The Lord opened the eyes of the young man, and he saw : and, behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire round about Elisha."-2 Kings vi. 17.
ANGELS and thrones and holy powers
And ministers of light
God's primal sons and mystic bands
In various orders bright,
And hidden splendours wheeling round
In circles infinite-
Celestial priests and seraph kings
In links of glory twine;
And spirits of departed men
In saintly lustre shine,
With angels dear that fold their wings
About the awful shrine-
Chariots of living flame that fill
The mountain's hollow side,
Breezes that to the battlefield
Over the forest ride,
Spirits that from the Bridegroom come
To wait upon the Bride-
These are among us and around
In earth and sea and air,
At fast and feast and holy rite
And lonely vigil prayer,
Morning and noon and dead of night
Crowding the heavenly stair.
In solemn hours and paths remote,
Where worldly sounds are still,
There comes to us from spirits nigh
A contact pure and chill,
A touch that to the inmost sense
Runs with unearthly thrill.
Yet man will deem himself alone-
That earth so fair and wide
Was made for him to have unshared
His glory and his pride;
That he alone, supreme below,
To heaven should be allied.
And wouldst thou grudge, poor selfish heart,
To share thy lonely sway,
And scorn the visitants that come
On earth with thee to stayThe beings meek and beautiful That follow on thy way?
There's many a lake to heaven looks up
With bright and earnest eye,
Upon the solitary tops
Of mountains steep and high,
And many a plant and flower that bloom
Where man was never nigh,
All day and night the lovely clouds
In curious shapes are blending,
And coloured lights through forest bowers
Are every hour descending,
Where none are by but angel forms
God's glorious road attending.
Oh! well it is that they for love
Of man's cold heart are weeping:
And it shall please me, Lord! to think,
While my dull eyes are sleeping,
Angels for thine eternal praise
Eternal watch are keeping!
"Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen."-Heb. xi. 1.
ON Tintoretto's canvas lives
That fancy of a loving heart,
In graceful lines and shapes of power,
And hues immortal as his art.
In Provence (so the story runs)
There lived a lord, to whom, as slave,
A peasant-boy of tender years
The chance of trade or conquest gave.
Forth-looking from the castle tower,
Beyond the hills with almonds dark,
The straining eye could scarce discern
The chapel of the good St. Mark.
And there, when bitter word or fare
The service of the youth repaid,
By stealth, before that holy shrine,
For grace to bear his wrong, he prayed.
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